As the Spring Breeze Blows
by FierySprites
Summary: Following the retrieval of Dream Land's food supply, four figures contemplate what the event signifies for their lives—and for Pop Star in general. [Post-Kirby's Dream Land, 'Make a Friend' Fic]


**As the Spring Breeze Blows  
**_A_ Kirby_ One-Shot_

* * *

**Notes:** This one-shot is set a few days after the events of _Kirby's Dream Land__—_and by proxy, a few days after one of my previous fics, _The First Rival._

* * *

**[Bandana Dee]**

**Float Islands**

"Hey—did you hear the news?"

I blinked. "N-News…? What news?"

There was another Waddle Dee—Davy—next to me, carrying a parasol on his back. All I've been doing 'til he showed up was just sitting by the sea, feeling the spring breeze wash over me. We weren't good friends or anything, but sometimes we held a few conversations together. That's… nice enough.

"You know how our _esteemed_ ruler, King Dedede, went and stole all of our food?" he said.

"Y-Yeah…" I rubbed the side of my head. "It's—It's not as if it was q-quiet, or anything…" It happened only a few days ago: we woke up to every scrap of food we had missing, from our cellars to our fridges to even those hidden under the bed. Not only that, the Sparkling Stars – the things that give us our food – weren't in their usual place, either. E-Everyone was panicking a whole lot when they realized everything was gone. Like, a whole, _whole_ lot.

I'm—I'm a wanderer by trade, so I didn't have much in the way of anything to s-steal, thankfully. Th-That doesn't mean the situation wasn't _bad,_ though.

…I hope His Majesty had a good reason for doing it. I—I mean, I don't see him as a bad person, or anything. L-Like, maybe he just wanted to build up an emergency supply!

I-Isn't that k-kinda possible…?

"Wh-What about it?" I asked. "That seems kinda… random to b-bring up…"

"Well, get this." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Some guy came in a few days ago and got _everything_ back. He beat up Whispy, he beat up the Lola Twins, he beat up Kracko – he even beat up Dedede like it was nothing!"

"R-Really? He—He dethroned His Majesty?" Th-That can't be right… r-right?

"Not dethrone, sadly. I don't think it's possible to ever get that done." The Parasol Dee said that last part rather grumpily. _Hey, b-be a little nice…!_ "But now that we've got Kirby around… Dedede shouldn't be so big of a problem anymore!"

"E-Erm… I guess that's good…?" Honestly, I—I don't know what to say. I've… never been very good with words. (And I don't think that'll change anytime soon.)

…_his—his name's K-__**Kirby**__, huh?_

"…you don't sound very happy, Dee," Davy noted. "C'mon—aren't you at least _a little_ excited by this change?" He shuffled closer to me; I couldn't help but get all fidgety and uncomfortable by it. "It's a brand-new frontier! It's like nothing else we've been through in Dream Land!"

He turned to face me, eyes curious. "What do you think 'bout it, anyway? You can tell me!"

I unevenly hummed, stammering out fragmented responses. "S-Sure? Okay? Th-That's great? Good for you, Davy?" _Ohhhhhhh,_ it's—it's getting harder to come up with actual responses h-here…

_His face is practically a g-giant question mark at this point…!_

I'm not good with being p-put on the spot like this! It makes me feel unsteady and anxious and like I'm being pushed toward the edge of a cliff or a volcano or something and _wh-what if I o-offend someone by—by accidentally blurting out a-anything on my mind!?_ I, I—I don't wanna d-do that! That'd be—t-terrible!

…I—I gotta get out of this conversation somehow. I need to—to be able to think about this situation. B-By myself. _Please._

Umm… _Ummmm…_

…_h-hey, I know!_

"Hey, d-don't you have anything else you should be doing right now?" I quickly inquired. "L-Little 'ol me… surely can't more important than—than whatever you've g-got planned, right…?"

"Hmm… You've got a point there, Dee." Davy stood up and stretched his arms. "I've still got business to take care of. Everyone else has been pitching in, building a home for our recent hero – I need to get back to work, or I'll miss out on the opportunity!

"Well, take care of yourself, Dee! I dunno what's up with you, but… hopefully, you'll join us sometime! Seein' Kirby could probably do wonders for you." With those parting words, he walked off – probably to wherever this new home happened to be.

…

…

…

…it's quiet again.

There's nothing going through the air except the subtle crashing of waves and the sharp chirping of seagulls.

I'm back to being alone, here on the Float Islands.

…

…I like it enough. Th-The silence, I mean.

It's—It's not terrible! I don't have to worry about t-talking to people, or figuring out how to take action… I—I can just s-sit here, and—enjoy nature!

Yeah, that's all it is!

Nature's good! Nature's amazing! Nothing wrong with nature, no sirree!

This is fine! I'm perfectly okay with the events that are unfolding!

…

…

…oh, wh-who am I kidding? I'm just t-trying to distract myself.

Ever since I started roaming Dream Land, there's always been this sense of… not-completeness going through my mind. (D-Does—Does that sound right? Is that t-too dumb?) Sure, it's been… decent, just seeing the sights, camping out wherever, but… I can't help but feel like I'm **missing out** on something. Something that's been meant for me, all this time.

…I just wish I knew what it was.

Part of the reason why I'm a wanderer is—is that I'm trying to find my own way. My own purpose. Like—everyone lives for _something_ (or some_one),_ r-right? I shouldn't be an exception to th-that!

I wanna lend a hand, make friends, serve their needs in a way only I can do! I want so desperately to feel important, to _be_ important to somebody, not just to myself! I want to be able to fly high, and reach the highest of all the heavens—where I _know_ someone'll be waiting for me!

I… I don't wanna be just another pretty face in the crowd.

…

…it's—it's hard to live up to that, though.

I'm shy. I'm reclusive. I'm the opposite of outgoing.

I start shivering in fright every time I think about stepping outside my comfort zone.

It's scary. I don't like that it is, b-but—it _is._

If I could reach out—if I could gather the courage to talk to Kirby, whatever he's like—I would.

But I can't.

All I'm able to do is… watch from afar. Watch life play out, w-with me simply as a s-supporting character.

So I'll sit here. I'll sit and think. I'll sit here and think to myself, as hopelessly as I can—

_Is this all I'm meant to be? Am I ever going to be able to break out of my shell?_

…_will Kirby decide to come and help, despite how insignificant I really am?_

* * *

**[King Dedede]**

**Castle Dedede – Throne Room**

"_Grrrrrrrrrr…!_ Who does that little freak think he is…!?"

I'm not happy. I'm not happy in the slightest!

I don't get any 'nuff respect 'round here. None of these idiots know how to recognize who's the king in these parts.

But him… _him…!_ He's the worst of 'em all!

That pesky pink pastry's got some nerve, goin' up against _me…!_

It's been only a couple of days since I met that little upstart. But it'll be a day I'll never—never, ever, _ever—_forget.

"Gimme the report," I growled to one of my Waddle Dees. "I don't care how much I won't like it, just—gimme it."

He waddled up to me, clipboard in hand. "Your Majesty, we are, at present, still recuperating from the defeat our forces suffered at the pink puffball's hands," he stated, reading from his notes. "We had not been anticipating such resistance, especially from an individual such as this 'Kirby'. In addition, none of our prior training was enough to handle his might – which is a definitive blow to morale. It may be a while before we can consider ourselves fully prepared to face him again.

"Your previous orders for us to retrieve all the food in Dream Land has not gone over well with the general populace, either. Many of them are championing their newfound savior over you. There are rumors that they want him to take over your place as king, though this has not been officially confirmed. In any case, we will have to make sure to account for Kirby's place here; he is most likely going to stay in Dream Land for an extended period of time."

_Ugh…! As if seeing his smug mug once wasn't enough…!_

I slumped in my chair, a miserable grouch on my face. That's just what I need: a constant reminder of how much of a failure I am as a king. A couple years into my ascendency and already things are going down the toilet!

Y'know, I first came here to Dream Land seeking a way to become a legend. A superstar warrior, even! But lo and behold, I found no opportunity to do that at all. It's like history itself is against me; it doesn't want my perfect face glowing in its books!

This place is way too backwater for my tastes – it's pretty, sure, but it's got nothing of substance! I don't understand how people can just live like this, doin' nothing except being useless! But hey—somewhere like this, it'd be easy to become somebody important.

My mom always told me I could do great things. And after I stumbled upon all those Waddle Dees hanging about… obviously, that was my chance!

A couple of years back, I had my Waddle Dees construct a castle atop this mountain. Once that was done, I got on my throne and declared myself king of Dream Land. And no one contested it! As far as I'm concerned, they basically _asked_ for this! They shouldn't be complaining about what I do in service of being king!

I'm the biggest, baddest dude on this entire planet! Anything I say should _go—_just like that!

It's not like my subjects were using those Sparkling Stars properly. I mean, all they did was come to them for food every now and again – they belonged to somebody who actually deserved it! That should've been the end of it… and then that puffball ruined everything!

"What's that rotten strawberry doin' right now, anyway?" I reluctantly decided to ask. "If he's gonna be sticking around, it's a good idea to have a few tabs on him." _'Cause I won't be letting him go. Not after how he insulted me so!_

The Waddle Dee flipped a few pages on his clipboard. "According to our scouts, he is… relaxing. 'Enjoying the sights', one might say. He has, more or less, returned to whatever daily routine he was going through prior to our siege. The whole event seems to have affected him little, in spite of how publicized it was."

_What!?_ I felt my jaw drop a little, after hearing that statement. _He… He defeated me—me, the king, the supreme ruler of this world… and he treats it like it was nothing to him! __**Nothing!**__ That—That little…!_

"In sharp contrast to his combat prowess, he appears to be a creature of simple desires. By his own admission, as said to some nearby commoners, all he requires in life is 'food and friendship'. He also professed to taking something of an interest in you, Your Majesty—likely related to the desires he mentioned directly before."

"An… _interest?"_ I repeated. I straightened out my back, my mind immediately going into hyperdrive. "Don't tell me—he wants to infiltrate our ranks and humiliate me further!" Of course! He's only acting like that 'cause he wants to make me drop my guard! I knew once wouldn't be enough for him…!

"…sire, I don't believe that's his actual motivation," the Waddle Dee relayed. "And even if it was, I am certain that few of our ranks would want to associate with him as of currently."

I scrunched up my face. "It still means he's trying to undermine me," I declared. "Acting like he's some humble hot-shot… I betcha if he had his way, he'd make my authority meaningless—and screw us all over!"

This was the truth. It couldn't be anything _but_ the truth! As the ruler of this pathetic land, I can tell _exactly_ what's going on with my subjects—and this was the biggest truth of them all!

That's unacceptable. That's absolutely unacceptable!

I refuse to accept that as the reality we're headed for!

'_You're—You're supposed to be just a little pink _blob!_ What… What the heck _are_ you!?'_

'_I'm Kirby! Kirby of the Stars! And I'm gonna be the guy who makes miracles happen!'_

I clenched my hand into a fist. I shook it in a growing fury.

_Miracles, huh…? You try and make a miracle out of __**this!**_

"Waddle Dees!" I shouted with conviction. They all snapped to attention. "Every troop we have, get them on training as hard as they can! No exceptions! Write out a schedule for them to follow for the foreseeable future, and get them ready for the next fight they're gonna have! We're not gonna stop until we manage to clobber that there Kirby down to the ground—you hear me!?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Your will shall be done!"

The Waddle Dees in front of me nodded and started scrambling about, some out the door toward where my troops were, some to get a clipboard and paper to start writing out what I had ordered. And meanwhile, I was working myself up to a boiling point.

"Kirby… Kirby, Kirby, Kirby… you think you're the star of this show, don't you?" I growled, mostly to myself. "You think you're _better_ than me – better than the _**king!**_ Well, I won't stand for it!"

I stood up from my throne, determination pulsing through my veins. There was only one thing on my mind, one thing I swore I was going to fulfill.

"_I'm gonna get you, Kirby! Just you wait! __**I'll **__**be the one on top**__—not you, not __**ever!"**_

* * *

**[Meta Knight]**

**Meta-Knights H.Q. – Meta Knight's Office**

"_Alright, trainees—you know the drill! It's time to get to work!"_

The sound of my knights training outside was… melodious to my ears.

"_We're gonna be working on physical activities today!" _the voice of Mace Knight rang from down the hall and through the closed doorway. _"Put away your swords – we're startin' with some jumping jacks!"_

Despite being muffled, I could still hear a chorus of groans echoing in displeasure.

"_Now, now, trainees, don't be like that! If you're gonna be a part of this crew, you've gotta learn how to keep yourself in shape! You can't always count on the enemy being less proficient than you are! On my mark, everybody—One! Two! Three! Four!…"_

Beneath my mask, I closed my eyes and let the sound of my troops drift into my soul. Though there has been little in the way of true threats thus far on Pop Star, I am nevertheless proud of how far the Meta-Knights have come in terms of their proficiency in combat. It never hurts to be prepared, I believe; better you have skills you don't need than not have them when you _do._

It has been more than a few years since my faithful crew and I first landed on this peaceful planet. In that time, we have not failed in keeping our guards up in the case of an emergency – we have been blindsided by our foes far too many times for us not to. There was a moment, during His Majesty's ascendency, when I wondered if we should intervene – but thankfully, King Dedede is more of an arrogant fool than truly malicious.

I had not to stay on this planet out of a desire to settle down, or any simple reason such as that. In times long past, Pop Star was well-known as the **World of Miracles** – a reputation granted due to its propensity for that which it was named for. The specifics of why have long since been lost, as has the 'miracles' the planet had once been known for – but I haven't forgotten the scraps of information I was able to pick up along my travels.

And if that was not proof enough, then there is the existence of Pop Star's Fountain of Dreams.

On the surface, it appears to be like others that can be found throughout the Gamble Galaxy. No different than Aquarius, or Cavius, or Mekkai. And yet… there is a purity to it – a purity and a potency which cannot be found anywhere else. Such a quality… it could attract those who have less than benevolent reasons for arriving.

As an honorable knight, I cannot let that be.

Even if there are few chances of an invasion occurring in this lifetime… that is a few chances too many for me to take.

And so, we have waited patiently, for the day we would be needed to help combat a nightmare to Dream Land's existence.

I was prepared to wait out an eternity for then, if the fates decree it be necessary. I have lived for a very long time; what would be another few years or even decades to that?

Suddenly, the door to my office creaked open.

I looked up – and there was Captain Vul, my loyal second-in-command.

"Captain Vul," I respectfully greeted him. "It is good to see you."

"Meta Knight," he nodded. "It is good to see you too." He let the door close behind him as he took a seat in front of my desk. "I bring news of recent happenings out in the field. I believe it may be worth your time to hear this out."

_I see. Your reports are appreciated as always._ "Acceptable terms," I said with a nod. I sat straighter in my chair. "What is this information you have for me?"

"King Dedede was recently defeated."

Imperceptibly, I raised an eyebrow. "Defeated, you say? That is… unexpected." Intriguing, too: I have yet to encounter anyone outside of my troops who could potentially oppose the king. Not because he himself is tough, but because Dream Land is more sleepy than battle-ready (something I feel should change in the future). "I had believed that such an event would not occur for at least a while longer."

"I had the same thoughts," he replied. "Yet, this latest challenger actually managed to best him—_and_ return all of the commoner's stolen food, including the Sparkling Stars. Based on the eyewitness reports I've managed to gather, he is well-versed in combat – far more than anyone else on this planet, excepting you. He has an aptitude for using multiple **Copy Abilities** as well."

I blinked. "Multiple Copy Abilities…? Is that right?"

"Yes. Indeed, he has the power we had assumed were exclusive to TACs. In fact, it appears he has a greater understanding of how to employ it in battle—even the thieves themselves seemed amazed at the techniques he was able to pull off."

Now _that _is most interesting. Most beings, myself included, live with having either a single Copy Ability (sometimes supplemented by another) or none at all. Theoretically, only those of exceptional strength can wield so many different abilities _and_ reach greater heights with them. For someone like that to be here…

"Frankly, I almost couldn't believe what they were saying – until I saw said fellow for myself, that is." The eagle laid back in his chair, a frown nestled on his beak. "…let me tell you, I've never been so surprised to see someone in my life."

_Oh?_

I leaned forward. "Vul, tell me. Who is this individual?"

Vul reached beneath his wings. He pulled out a few photographs and laid them on my desk. I felt my eyes widen the moment I caught a glimpse of the subject—a pink puffball with red cheeks and feet, sitting under a tree and eating some apples with the biggest smile I had ever seen on somebody.

A pink puffball.

A pink _puffball._

…this changes everything.

"His name is Kirby. Arrived on Pop Star approximately a few weeks ago. Enjoys food and friendship, by his own admission. In my opinion, he's worth looking out for, given the ripples he's already made—and the other thing I'm sure you've noticed."

Silence passed in my office for a good long while. There was much I needed to contemplate, now that I have this knowledge.

"…thank you for the intel, Captain," I finally said. "You may be dismissed."

"Yes, sir." He got out of his chair and left at a brisk pace.

I stared intently at these images of Kirby. I had believed myself to be the only puffball within light years of Planet Pop Star—but it appears I was gravely mistaken. Somehow, despite being so similar in appearance to me… he is wildly different, and perhaps, a harbinger of things to come.

…it can be no mere coincidence that he arrived here shortly before King Dedede made his first big move. It can also be no mere coincidence that he can utilize Copy Abilities so well, with apparent years of experience. The times are changing rapidly – the future crises I had predicted may not be as far off as I had thought them to be.

If this new puffball is to be our aid in vanquishing all manner of threats, I will need to know everything he can handle. It is not my approach to simply accept one's skill level on words alone. Whatever his capabilities are… they will need to be tested.

Which is exactly the type of task my Meta-Knights are suited for.

_Kirby… When we manage to meet, we will see how ready you are to protect our world, and everything beyond it. Together, we have the potential to be this realm's greatest defenders—and against what I know is coming, there can be no delay in reaching that status._

I hummed.

_One way or another… I will keep this galaxy safe, whatever it takes. That much, I can promise you._

* * *

**[Kirby]**

**Dream Land – Kirby's House (Outside)**

"Here you are, mate! Your brand-new house! Ain't it a beaut?"

The abode in front of me wasn't fancy or elaborate or anything like that. It was small and dome-shaped, sporting a single door, a single window, and a large circular chimney which stuck out from the rooftop. It was about as humble a house as you could possibly imagine – and I'd bet on it not being very decorated inside, too.

"I'm not one to live in anywhere like this, but…" Rick scratched the side of his head. "…I think it's pretty ace, by our standards!"

"It better be, after all the junk I had to haul over here," Coo grumbled—I was getting the feeling he tended to do that a lot. "If it wasn't, you better believe I'd give 'em heck for it!"

Kine sighed. "I don't think you'd be the only one…" He turned to me. "So, Kirby, any thoughts? It's… my and everyone else's first time doing something like this, but I hope it suits you just fine."

I looked at the house for a few moments longer.

A smile naturally came upon my face.

"It's great!" I exclaimed. "I couldn't have asked for anything better!"

Really, I couldn't!

This may have been my first time seeing this place, but I knew right from the outset—it was absolutely perfect.

"That's a relief!" Rick said, the crowd of other people behind him cheering at my response. "Now that that's outta the way, I think we oughta have a party for ya! Y'know, to celebrate you trashin' Dedede and all!"

"A party!?" Coo squawked. _"Now!?_ Hold up, Rick—I'm still tired from helping to build this thing! I'm not prepared to be doing _more_ preparations!"

"Hey, don't be like that, mate! I'm not askin' for a lot!" The hamster held his paws in the air in protest. "We don't need to be setting up tables or decorations – let's just take the time to get to know Kirby a little better! Stuff like that's always nice!"

"Aren't parties supposed to be more grand than that?" a higher-pitched voice snidely remarked—I think it belonged to the Birdon close to the front of this assembly. (Wonder what's her beef?) "Like, they have food and drinks and entertainment and decorations and whatever? If it's gonna be so crowded here, at least have _something _for us to digest!"

"I wouldn't put it so bluntly," a Poppy Bros. Jr. stated, "but yeah, that'd be nice!"

"Now that you mention it…" Kine trailed off, "I _am_ in the mood for some squid, at least…"

The large amount of growling stomachs echoing told me what everyone else thought about that subject.

"Wow," I laughed. "Is everyone in agreement over this?" I can understand why they'd be that way. It's _food,_ after all.

Rick shrugged with that ever-casual smile. "Looks like it!" he replied. "Might have to go into the forest and scavenge around for a bit, though—"

"Nah! That's not necessary!" I interrupted him. "I've got something up my sleeve for that. Watch me!"

I dug into my hammerspace and pulled out a ladle. I dropped it into my open mouth – much to the confusion of everyone here – and in a flash of starlight, the Cook ability was mine to use, with a good 'ol-fashioned chef's hat to boot.

Immediately, everyone became far more interested in what I was doing. Banging a ladle and frying pan together, I summoned a large cooking pot atop a magically-active grill, and various pieces of food from around the area flew into the pot and boiled. I grinned. _It's been a while since I've gotten to do this for a crowd! __**Here we go!**_

I stirred the contents of the pot, adding some pepper here and there while a volley of smoke emitted from its surface. The people gathered around me, curious to see how things would turn out. That was fine by me; it's not like I couldn't tune them out while I focus. Several moments passed as I continued to spin things along – and then, finished, I stepped backward and waited for the rest.

All at once, dishes upon dishes upon dishes burst from the stew and arced high into the sky, much to everyone's surprise. Following that was an inexplicable _dinner table,_ which _really_ got people's eyelines receding. (I love it when they get that expression.) With a pitch-perfect landing, the table plopped onto the ground – and every dish was soon neatly placed on top of the covers, making a veritable buffet that wouldn't look out of place being eaten by royalty.

And just to top things off, a whole bunch of utensils dropped beside each plate of food as well.

Ah, so beautiful.

"Holy crap!" Birdon's jaw comically dropped.

"I second that!" Coo chimed in. "What the heck kind of magic's able to do _that!?"_

"My type of magic, of course!" I cheekily replied. _Duh, what'd you expect?_ I put away my ladle and frying pan and whipped out a nice fork and knife instead. "Well, what are we all waiting for? This buffet's not gonna eat itself!"

I waltzed on over to the table, grabbed an empty plate, and started stuffing it with as much stuff as it could fit. After the years in everyone's brain finally started to work right again, they proceeded to do the same.

Once I was done, I plopped down in the middle of the field and started chowing down. The details of what I grabbed you probably don't want to know, but suffice to say… _"Mmmmmmm!"_ I licked the area over my mouth. "Delicious!"

Yeah—this is paradise.

I've been travelling 'round for a long time – and by that, I mean a long, _long_ time – but no place has ever clicked with me the way Pop Star has. The colorful landscapes full of life, the sleepy atmosphere emitting so much peace… it's like nothing else I've ever felt. So I made coming here a birthday present, of sorts: on April 27, 1992, I decided that this place would be my home for the foreseeable future.

In the weeks that have passed since… I can't say I've regretted my decision.

I've seen my fair share of people on this planet already—Rick, Kine, Coo, Lololo, Lalala, King Dedede… and I see the glimmer of **friendship** waiting deep beneath all of them. (Yes, even Mr. 'Steal-Everyone's-Food-for-the-Heck-of-It'.) They're not at their peak yet, and maybe some of them are more conducive to my kindness than others… but I really do think they can be amazing people, and amazing-er buddies to boot.

Yeah, in case you couldn't tell… food may be a passion of mine, but friendship will always be my calling. Which is precisely why, as I'm not going anywhere else anytime soon, I'm making an effort to try and reach out instead of just being simple acquaintances with everyone.

I mean, there's nothing wrong with having a lot of good friends! I'm pretty _sure_ there isn't, anyway…

…eh, I'll figure things out as I go!

'Sides, now that I've spent a little time here… I can really say this feels right. And even if the future's not entirely certain, and there'll be plenty of adventures and enemies waiting around the corner… something tells me it'll be alright.

I'm gonna be happy, living in Dream Land. I just know it.

"You enjoy eatin' a lot, huh?" I suddenly heard Rick's voice remark. I fancied a glance at him sitting down next to me with a salad. "I don't think I've ever seen that much food stacked on a plate at once!" He scratched his fur as I dumped three whole chicken legs down my ravenous mouth. "Or seen anyone eat that hungrily, for that matter…"

"Oh, you think _this_ is me eating hungrily?" I replied, moving on to a few more legs. "It's a whole different story when I've got strawberry shortcakes!" Already, my mind conjured up images of that wonderful delicacy – and I couldn't help but drool over it. "Oh, if only you knew how majestic they truly are…"

"You sound like these shortcakes are Invincible Candies in their own right," Coo said, flapping onto the scene. His feathers looked rather ruffled, funnily enough—was he _that_ astonished by everything? "Almost too good to be true! You sure they're as good as they say?"

"Hey, I don't lie!" I spun a fork in the air, my beaming face greeting both him and Kine (as the latter splashed in with a squid on his own plate). "Trust me, you'll never wanna go back once you've had one! Heck, next time I get a supply, I'll let you guys try 'em first—a special deal for my friends!"

Kine blinked. "Friends? You consider us friends already? Even though we've only known each other for about a week?"

"Of course! You've been nice to me, all things considered, and you seem like nice people in general! Why _wouldn't_ I wanna be you guys' friend? C'mon!" I held out my hand, gesturing for them to do the same. "Let's make it official—my first three companions here in Dream Land!"

"Eh, why not?" Rick shrugged, still perfectly chipper. His paw went right on top of my hand. "Let's be mates, mate! You and me and Kine and Coo, all together!"

Coo sighed, but didn't hesitate to do the same. "You're interesting, I'll give you that—so what the heck, I'll give this a shot."

"No harm, no foul," Kine decided, his flipper going last. "It's going to be something else with you here, Kirby." He looked into my eyes. "Do you think you're gonna be okay livin' in this place?"

"Absolutely!" I replied. "It's only been a few weeks, but I know, **there's nowhere else I'd rather be."** I closed my eyes and stretched my smile as wide as it could go.

"I'm ready to see everything Pop Star's got to offer! Whatever comes my way… _I'll face it head-on—and befriend it if I can!_ _**That's a promise!"**_

* * *

**I tend to write a lot more post-**_**Revenge of the King **_Make a Friend** fics than I do pre-**_**Revenge,**_** so how 'bout I go and fix that? I've been meaning to explore the dynamics of the four core Star Allies prior to all their Character Development, anyway.**

**I haven't shown off much of Kirby and Dedede's rivalry before **_**One Last Time, I'll Fight,**_** I'll admit—**_**The First Rival**_** is just about I've got for them. And I haven't really touched upon Meta Knight and Bandana Dee a whole lot, either. I feel like it's important to more firmly establish how they were before Kirby got to befriending them – which is why this fic is a thing.**

**I headcanon Bandana Dee, prior to being Dedede's primary assistant, as more of a simple wanderer – he doesn't really know what to do with his life yet, and he won't get to that point until **_**Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards**_** kickstarts his development. And of course, his natural shyness goes a long way to explain why he doesn't interact with a lot of people before then.**

**Dedede's a complicated dude. He's also stubborn as heck. At this stage in his development, he's not one to just let a grudge go – being dethroned as the strongest by some upstart will do that to you (especially when your ego's bigger than a mountain). While there'll be moments where he's willing to put it to the side, his emotions are running too high in this moment – he won't consider turning back for a good long while. It's a bit like an Inferiority Superiority Complex. **

**In stark contrast to his counterpart in **_**Right Back at Ya!,**_** I positioned Meta Knight here as knowing little about Kirby's existence until he makes the 'news' by defeating Dedede. While both he and Kirby **_**have**_** been travelling the galaxy for quite some time in this 'verse, they haven't run into each other much, which is why he becomes interested in testing Kirby around the time **_**Kirby's Adventure**_** happens. It's a new paradigm for him—as a knight, he's obliged to see where it leads.**

**As **_**Star Allies**_** implies (**"As the spring breeze blows, a young traveler appears"**), Kirby is relatively new to Dream Land by the time **_**Kirby's Dream Land**_** occurs. With this fic, I wanted to show him growing a little more accustomed to his new home – which is partially why the Animal Buddies are here. Making friends at the drop of a hat **_**is **_**his thing, no matter what's going on at that point in time. Give him some friends, some food, and some relative peace and quiet, and he'll be just fine.**

**His segment also helps to act as a bright spot for the future. Given that Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Bandana Dee eventually become his closest companions **_**(Return to Dream Land,**_** anyone?), it's only right I show where exactly his resolve to help them came from. It'll make what's to come all the more sweeter in the end, y'know?**

**Well, that's all for now – see you guys around!**


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